The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN claimed his arraignment on a murder charge yesterday was a “trick” by the police who had previously questioned and released him in connection with the fatal shooting.

Brenton Thompson, 25, of Culmer’s Alley appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyanne Ferguson-Pratt on a charge of murder in the November 12, 2011 death of Randino Pratt.

Pratt, the country’s 110th murder victim for that year, was gun downed outside a bar in Kemp Road.

Thompson, who was not required to enter a plea to the charge, claimed that police tricked him into being charged in connection with the matter.

His lawyer, Stanley Rolle, claimed that his client’s constitutional right, Article 19(2), had been breached while he was in custody at the Central Detective Unit.

The chief magistrate asked the lawyer to elaborate on the claim. Mr Rolle said that his client was led by CDU officers to believe that just as he had given a statement in November 2011 and was released, the same would happen again.

Thompson said he was told that he only had to sign a document before they could release him.

The chief magistrate made a note of the complaint before informing the accused that his case would be forwarded to the Supreme Court for trial through a Voluntary Bill of Indictment, which is scheduled for February, 2014.

Thompson was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison until completion of his trial.

However, he was advised of his right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail because the lower court no longer had the jurisdiction to consider an application.